Shared parental leave and pay: the simple made complex?

Sally Robertson looks at the new proposals for shared parental leave and pay.

Although the proposals for shared parental leave (SPL) and pay (ShPP) for working parents build on current provisions and do not cut back existing rights, there was an indication of the regime’s complexity on 5 March 2014 when the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) posted draft regulations on its website for consultation (the draft regulations). As the deadline for comments was 18 March 2014, the time allowed does not suggest a serious exercise. However, continuing input from users is likely to be essential to help counteract the convoluted drafting, spot the unintended glitches, and help to deliver a system that works. It seems ironic that the draft regulations are delivered under a policy aimed at simpler, more flexible employment laws. The outcome may be simple, the law as drafted is not.